Calling his 12 sons together, Yaakov made a mysterious announcement in Genesis 49:1: “Gather together, so that I declare to you what is to befall you IN THE LAST DAYS”. Having read this statement, the reader is expecting some word or prophesy or revelation on what is going to happen in the latter days. What follows, however, is a personal word or blessing towards each of his 12 sons, beginning with Ruven and ending with Benyamin. A quick glance at the entire chapter of Genesis 49 seems to indicate that there is NOTHING here about the last days. Did Yaakov simply forget about his intention to reveal things to his sons about the end-time? Did his old age finally catch up with him? Short term memory loss can happen to people who are 47 years old – how much more to those who are 147?
Jewish commentators like Rashi explains that Yaakov did not forget anything. He ATTEMPTED to reveal the End, but he was HINDERED by the Almighty, and so he began to say other things. The reason why Yahweh prevented Yaakov from revealing the end, is not clearly articulated by the rabbis, and personally I am not convinced that this is what really happened here, at all. Yaakov did not simply say to his sons, “I’ll declare to you what will happen in the last days.” No, he said to them, “I will declare to you what will happen TO YOU in the last days.” And by the words “WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU”, he obviously meant “WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO YOUR DESCENDANTS”. And so, straight away, after saying that he was going to reveal what would happen to them in the last days, Yaakov started blessing (or withholding blessings from) each one of them individually, and in the process, he said quite a bit about their DESCENDANTS, too.
SIMEON AND LEVI were the two sons, in particular, from whom blessings were mainly withheld – clearly because of their handling of the episode involving their sister, Dinah, and the murder of the Shechemites. YEHUDAH (JUDA) AND YOSEPH (JOSEPH) were the two sons, in particular, who were blessed in abundance. And a closer look to the blessings of these two sons reveals important information about the Mashiach (or Messiah), whose coming, in the rest of Scriptures, is almost always put within the framework of THE LAST DAYS. Part of Yehuda’s blessing is that his hand is on the neck of his enemies, and will remain there for a long time. This is clearly a prophesy or a revelation (just like Yaakov said he was going to do) – not so much about Yehudah himself, but about his DESCENDANTS, and finally, a particular Descendant who would be called “Shilo” – “Instrument of Peace” – or in the words of a later prophet, “Sar shalom” – “Prince of Peace” (Isa 9:6). One cannot help but being reminded of the words of Y’shua of Nazareth (a genuine descendant of Yehudah): “Peace I leave with you – My peace I give to you … these words I have spoken to you, that in Me you might have peace. In the world you have pressure, but take courage, I have overcome the world” (John 14:27 and 16:33).
Part of YOSEPH’S BLESSING is that he is the off-shoot of a fruit-bearing tree by a fountain and that, while he had already been a Shepherd and a Stone to Yisrael in his own time (during the famine, in Egypt), his hands were going to be made even stronger by the Elohim of Yaakov. There is so much depth in these words (clearly a prophesy!) and once again, we see allusions to the Messiah and the last days that are unmistakable. The NAME of “Yoseph” means “I will add”. Who will add? No doubt, Yahweh will add. What will He add? We know today that Yoseph is representative of the 10 NORTHERN TRIBES who later went into exile to Assyria, from where they practically became assimilated into the nations of the world and, humanly speaking, completely lost their identity as being part of “Yoseph”. So, thinking of Yoseph, what will Yahweh add? He will add believing non-Jews (but in reality, Yoseph’s descendants) back to the fruit-bearing tree by the fountain. Where will they come from? They will come from every tribe and tongue and nation. How will they be added to this fruit-bearing tree by the fountain? They will be GRAFTED IN like wild olive branches are grafted back into the original olive tree. That is why Yaakov, on the day of his death, declared that the blessings of Yoseph (in its size and magnitude) exceeded the blessings of all of Yoseph’s ancestors. The coming Messiah was going to be a SHEPHERD and a STONE to Yisrael, similar to the way that Yoseph had been a Shepherd and a Stone to Yisrael. And this very Stone that was going to be rejected by the builders (“the archers have bitterly grieved him, shot at him and hated him” – Gen 49:23), would become the chief corner Stone and the life-giving Source of a fruit-bearing tree by a fountain, unlike anything this world has ever seen!
The same word that Yaakov used when he said that he wanted to reveal certain things about the LAST DAYS, is used in a number of other places, throughout the Tanakh. And many times, when this particular word is used, the WINDOW IS OPENED, ever so slightly, for us to make a little bit more sense of the last days. This is a confirmation, once more, that it was never Yahweh’s intention to prevent or obstruct revelations and prophesies with regards to the last days, but that He would rather see that those who follow Him, be as INFORMED and PREPARED as possible. Let us take a look at some of these verses that are referring to the last days.
Surprisingly, BIL’AM (or Balaam), a non-Israelite with a questionable reputation, is one of the first prophets in all of Scriptures to reveal something about the last days. In Numbers 24:17, the Spirit of Yahweh urges him to prophesy that in the last days a Star and a Sceptre shall arise out of Yisrael and shall smite the enemies of Yisrael and, by implication, the enemies of Yahweh. This is part of a number of prophesies telling us that the last days will most certainly see the rise of a Messianic King and the destruction of the enemies of Yahweh.
Deuteronomy 4:29-30 reveals that the last days will be characterized by severe DISTRESS and BACKSLIDING, but that those who seek Yahweh with their entire heart and being, will find Him and remain faithful to Him.
Isaiah 2:2 and Miga 4:1 reveal that in the last days the HOUSE OF YAHWEH will be established on the top of the mountains and that the nations will go there, enthusiastically and in great numbers (unlike today where the top of the mountains are mainly occupied by extreme sports enthusiasts and those who choose to worship creation, rather than the Creator).
Jeremiah 23:20 and 30:24 reveal that in the latter days the true believers will UNDERSTAND certain things perfectly and that this understanding will be related to Yahweh’s determination to establish the PLANS and the PURPOSES of his heart. Knowing that Yahweh is keeping on track with his plans and purposes, is what strengthens and encourages us, more than anything else.
Daniel 12:8-13 reveals that there are certain words and secrets that wil remain “hidden and sealed” until the last days. There will be an increase in wrongdoing and lack of understanding (in the matters of Yahweh) but the righteous ones will understand, remain standing, await the end earnestly, when they will also be cleansed and refined.
The same word that is used in each one of these prophetic passages to refer to the LAST DAYS or the END DAYS, is used in a SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT MANNER in Proverbs 16:25, where we find this precious snippet of wisdom: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its END is the way of death.” This is, perhaps, telling us more about the days leading up to the LAST DAYS, than the last days themselves. Let us not follow the ACCEPTED ways of this world, for we may find out that we have wasted our time pursuing a way of death. Let us not follow a way that is SOCIALLY and POLITICALLY and even THEOLOGICALLY applauded, but Scripturally on shaky ground. Let us not choose a way that seems right to a MAN, for it may not be right in the eyes of Yahweh. Let us not even choose a way that simply SEEMS right, for our eyes and our hearts have already been opened to a way that is GUARANTEED to be right, because Yahweh Himself said so.
As we approach the last days, we shall do extremely well if we hold onto Isaiah 48:17, where the people of Yahweh hears that Yahweh their Elohim, their Redeemer, is the only One who will be TEACHING them what is best and leading them by the way they should go. As a matter of fact, Yahweh said so Himself: “Let Me instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; Let Me counsel you, let My eye be always upon you (Psalm 32:8). Having received this very clear invitation, we can only respond by saying: Teach us your paths (Psalm 25:4); Teach us Your way, O Yahweh, Let us walk in Your truth (Psalm 86:11); Teach us good sense and knowledge (Psalm 119:66); Teach us to do Your pleasure (Psalm 143:10). Yahweh, we know that the Last Days are upon us. The last thing we need, is for someone or something other than You to be the last thing we remember and cherish about our stay here on earth!
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